I have decided to analysis 3 male singer/songwriter artist and 3 female artist. I have done this as although my artist is female i didn't want to just look into female artist. I did this as the male artist could inspire and help me understand what i should include just as much as the female artist could.
THE BOYS
I chose to analysis Ed Sheeran - One as he is extremely popular in the charts and his newest album X won British Album of the Year during the Brit Awards.
This music video mainly focus on performance and uses black & white filters. This makes the audience focus on the artist and his performance therefore they aren't distracted and nothing is taken away from meaning of lyrics. This effect is considered highly artistic and can be strong, powerful and high in contrast but also soft, gentle and subtle. This is reflected in lyrics but using it, it's also reflected in the imagery.
The music video has many different types of shots keeping the music video interesting and holding the audience interest in it. Audience is able to establish that he is performing on stage through the lighting. The lighting also creates different tone which are due to the black and white filter. Through establishing shots we see it's empty concert hall which is typical for singer/songwriter music videos to be isolated from civilisation. In mid-shots like at the beginning of the music video the placing of the artist in the corner of the screen rather than the middle. This is done to show he is alone and the rest of the screen is black. If he was in the middle he would be surrounded by darkness however as he is the the corner it also as if he is secluded/ in his own world with his guitar.
The blinding stage lights give Ed Sheeran a halo effect but lonely at the sane time as he is all alone in a big concert hall. This is made more evident with the establishing shot where all lights are focus on him. Other shots of backstage with his voice echoing through the hall also show the audience the extent of his loneliness and it's almost as his song is just for him and isn't reaching anyone else. This is reflected in the close up off the empty seats in the vast concert hall.By looking at his music video it has given me ideas for my own & by looking at my singer/songwriter genre conventions it follows the codes and convention.
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George Ezra is a rising star and was nominated for 4 Brit Awards including British Breakthrough Act. I have chosen to analysis Listen to the Man as it's one of my favourites.
This music video is fun and clever but simple. Using one single location which clear to audience that it's fake and that its set on a stage in a theater. Lip-syncing is shared with actor Sir Ian McKellen and the narrative is almost like a battle with who should be singing the song out of the 2 of them.
The editing is very strongly edited to the beat going from long shots to close-ups of the George and Ian 'battle'. There clothes and they way they sit at the beginning contrast so its no surprise when the song starts that they don't get on.
This music video is very unique as it only has one setting however it's still effective as the space is used well and the close-up allows us to see the expressions on there faces allowing us to get involved with the situation which is played out.
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James Bay won Critics' Choice Award at the Brits but I've chosen to analysis his song Let it go is because much like George Ezra he is one of my favourite Singer/Songwriter artists.
This song is unusual as it's only set in one location and the fact that there is no lip-syncing right from the beginning. This is probably done as the camera in the beginning is almost taking the role of the audience looking in on James.
It's very simple with dull lighting. The constant camera movements is what keeps the music video interesting to the audience as it's show casing the artist. He is also isolated from civilisation which seem to be common in the music videos i have looked at so far.
At the end he is seen leaving the house on fire almost letting go of it as the song would suggest. The use of natural lighting in the video also reflects on the song as it's low lighting giving the song a mellow soothing sound.
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THE GIRLS
Christina Perri is a modern example of a female singer/songwriter and is now mainstream as she has become increasingly popular. I've chosen to analysis A Thousand Years as it became extremely popular after featuring in the last movie of the highly trendy film series Twilight Saga.
The music video is has intertexual references (Goodwin) to the twilight saga as it was written for the movie. For this reason i will only focus on the performance half of the video.
The opening establishing shot of the ocean shows us that the artist is secluded, however as it fades to a candle in hands the audience
may think it represent hope/love as the song is about eternal love.
The next shot it a long tracking shot moving closer. We see the silhouette of the artist looking out the window, she in centered to the middle making it seem as though she is surround by nothing with only natural light coming through the window. Though we only see her from behind she is seen as lonely and the audience may feel as though she is waiting or looking for something or someone.
The shot then fades to black and editing to beat the next shot of the artist in the center of the camera walking in darkness surround by it, with only light from the candle in her hand. Lip-syncing starts however she is giving the audience direct mode of address so its as if she's singing to them. As she is alone with nothing but candle light, it represents to the audience hope as the light of the candle fights the darkness surrounding her. It also represents warmth & love like she's holding burning love for all to see, holding onto a wish hoping the person will love her back
There is then a close-up of her face allowing the audience to see the emotion which conflict her. As we go back to the same mid-shot of her walking through a corridor it almost looks brighter as if the light is winning over the darkness as the tempo of the song picks up. The video then cut to a long shot in a room with a sea of candles which could represent everyone's love and hope. They used cross-fading through to different shots of the artist. This is done as the song is slow and gives the song a relaxed feel, almost thoughtful. 'I will love you for a thousand years' The candles could also represent the amount of years she has loved this guy for and all the flames are still burning showing that after all this time she still loves him, which relates to the movie.
The blue lighting in the suggest tranquility and calmness which is much a reflection of the song as that's what the audience would feel when listening to it. It's also seen as purity which can reflect on nature and she has isolated herself but also the fact that the wedding in twilight takes place in a forest. This is also reflected later on in the video when she is standing by the window and we see she is in a rural area. 'I will be brave' In this scene the we see the back of the the artists head and camera pans upwards which gives the feel of raising ones' head to face something showing courage.
In the ending part of the video all the candles are blown out almost like making a wish or blowing the candle out as your wish has been fulfilled. She opens the door to a beautiful sunset with the wind blowing to the audience its as if she is free, as before we saw her confined in those rooms.
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Sinead O'Connor - Nothing compares to you is considered a classic. It was her biggest single and is still played even to this day which is why i chose it.
This video is simple but emotional and is considered iconic. Despite the fact that this song was written by Prince she is still in the singer/songwriter category as she writes the majority of her own music.
The video was considered iconic as the whole video relies on her performance which are all close-ups allowing the audience to see her distinct emotions.
Cross-fade editing is used as the pace of the song is slow therefore cross-fade reflects this and gives the video a smooth edit rather then a sharp one the cut edit would. The video is mainly performance however it does include rural settings as well. The artist also isolates herself from society which shows the audience she is trying to deal with her emotions and clear her thoughts.
The plainness and the black colours of her clothes and background shows her grief of her lost love but also how she cannot let go. This is also reflected as she walks around by herself showing her loneliness and seclusion.
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Adele is a popular and current singer/songwriter artist which is why i have chosen her to analysis her video Someone like you.
The video is simplest as it a tracking shot following the artist with close-ups. The black and white filters has the same effects as i mentioned in Ed Sheeran-One although as the song is sorrowful the dark tones reflect this.
The 360 degree shot allows us to see the scenery and the audience are able to note that despite it being a city it look deserted and peaceful. It also include nature as we see rivers and trees etc. The black and white filter makes it almost look like an old movie and the close-up side shots allow the audience to see the emotions the artist feels as she sings the song. She doesn't lip-sync the whole song throughout and near the end there is an overlap of the images of the city and Adele's eyes. This for the audience is almost like seeing into her mind.
The ending concludes with a man looking at her and leaving with another 360 degree shot so the audience is able to establish the location. By leaving this to the end it leaves a lasting impression on the audience and gives a greater emotional response.
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Commonalities which i established during my analysis:
- Isolation
- Nature
- Some black & white filter
- Mainly performance based
- Clothing-simple, plain or pastel colours, casual
- Shots mainly close-up as allows emotions to come across to audience
- Little to no use of props
- Sometimes contain instruments
- Not loads of different location
By analysing these videos i know have a list of things i could include to make my video look like it belongs in the singer/songwriter genre as well as give me some ideas to use within my own music video.
